RuStepan wrote:Thank you a lot for this great download. I have seen some judo moves from Vladimir Putin during his visit to Japan, some years ago. But this video shows that he has some very good judo skills.

My kombat instructor specialised in judo so I like to share it with everyone when our leader is so good at it.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has proposed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to run for president in next year's election, ending months of speculation over which man would run for the post.

Speaking at the annual congress of the ruling United Russia party on Saturday, Medvedev said he was ready to make way for Putin and do "practical work in the government." That means Putin could still be running Russia in 2024.

Earlier, Putin told the congress that Medvedev should top the party's list of candidates in parliamentary elections on December 4.

The United Russia convention voted almost unanimously to put Medvedev on top of the elections list - 582 votes were cast for the suggestions with only one vote against. Four ballots were considered invalid. The party is led by Putin and dominates Russian politics.

"Given the offer to head the party list and engage in party work, and given a successful run at the elections... I believe that it would be appropriate if the congress approved Vladimir Putin's candidacy for the post of the president of Russia," Medvedev said to a prolonged standing ovation at Moscow's gigantic Luzhniki sports complex.

Putin was constitutionally barred from standing for a third consecutive term in 2008 and anointed Medvedev as his successor.

"I have often been asked: when are you going to make up your mind?... Vladimir Vladimirovich and I have sometimes been asked: have you fallen out with each other?"

"What we propose to the congress is a deeply thought-out decision," Medvedev said. "We were actually discussing this course of action as early as when our union was being formed."

There had been intense speculation that Putin may seek a return to the Kremlin when elections are held in March next year. Both Putin, 58, and Medvedev, 46, have said they could stand for president, but ruled out running against each other.

Medvedev said he would be ready to take over from Putin as prime minister if United Russia were to win in the December polls.

Putin took the floor after the announcement to address concerns over population decline and unemployment.

"I want to thank you for the positive reaction to the proposal for me to run for Russian president," Putin said. "For me this is a great honor."

The premier said he had "no doubts" Medvedev would form a "new, effective, young and energetic" cabinet when he headed Russia's government and "continue his work on modernizing all aspects of our lives."

Russian Orthodox Church hailed the ruling tandem swap and said it was held in a “peaceful and highly moral way”. “It’s wonderful that the ruling tandem reshuffled in such a highly-moral way in front of many people that saw the president’s and the premier’s good intentions,” Vsevolod Chaplin, head of the Russian Orthodox Church's press office said.

The United Russia's congress closes on Saturday and will reopen in mid-December to sum up the results of the State Duma elections.

'Unoriginal'

While loyalists described Medvedev's decision to step down as "right and proper," Sergei Mitrokhin, leader of the liberal opposition party Yabloko, said it was "highly unoriginal."

"Commentators had predicted this outcome, and now the solution lies with the Russian people - whether they really want the same to continue for another 12 years," he said.

The head of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, said the reshuffle was to be expected but "doesn't change anything."

"The situation has radically changed because quite a substantial proportion of people believed Medvedev would be playing his own game," said Boris Nadezhdin, a senior figure in the liberal pro-business Rights Cause party.

Sergei Mironov, leader of A Just Russia party, emphasized that United Russia will remain a political enemy. “A Just Russia will continue its struggle against United Russia’s monopoly. Political struggle remains on the agenda in our party,” he said.

Political analyst Vyacheslav Nikonov said that Medvedev could replace Putin as president in twelve years, which means that “we know the configuration of power in Russia until 2036.”

Another analyst, Valery Khomyakov, said that billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who was ousted as the Right Cause party leader, could become the key opposition candidate in the 2012 elections.

Financial analysts downplayed the impact of the reshuffle, saying the outcome was long-anticipated. However, the move indicates stability in the Russian state power, Dmitry Sulima, media relations manager for Citibank Russia said. “And investors always take such news positively,” he added.

"I want to thank you for the positive reaction to the proposal for me to stand for Russian president," Mr Putin told delegates after Mr Medvedev suggested he should be a candidate.

It's been the longest-running open question in Russian politics.

Since the presidency went to the more technocratic Dmitry Medvedev in 2008, Mr Putin has remained a pivotal - many would say the pivotal player - behind the scenes.

Regularly burnishing his tough-guy, outdoor image, Mr Putin clearly had ambitions of returning to the job. His path now seems assured.

Some in the West saw Mr Medvedev as easier to deal with, in contrast to the tougher - often more abrasive - Mr Putin. But this was perhaps to mis-read the curious dual leadership at Russia's helm.

This has been reflected in Russia's foreign policy: on the one hand a more assertive approach to the world outside, but equally - through, for example, the "re-setting" of relations with Washington - an attempt to find new patterns of co-operation.

Nonetheless, during recent weeks Mr Medvedev's own foreign policy line has toughened. These really are two facets of a common approach to the world, so Mr Putin's return should not signal any dramatic shift in Moscow's line.

Mr Putin also indicated that Mr Medvedev could become prime minister following the 4 December parliamentary vote, introducing a "new, effective, young, energetic management team".

Mr Medvedev had earlier accepted a proposal that he head the party's list of candidates in the elections and spoke of his "readiness to assume practical work in the government" in the future.

Backing Mr Putin for president, he said: "I think it would be correct for the congress to support the candidacy of the party chairman, Vladimir Putin, to the post of president of the country."

The congress must formally nominate Mr Putin as its presidential candidate - but that appears all but certain given the cheering and applause that greeted Mr Medvedev's proposal.

There have been months of speculation that Mr Putin planned to return to the Kremlin when elections are held in March.

Correspondents say most Russians believe he has greater influence in the country and far more power than Mr Medvedev.

Mr Putin told delegates that the two men had reached agreement on who should hold which post "a long time ago, several years back".

He also warned of possible, unpopular measures to cope with the global financial turmoil.

"The task of the government is not only to pour honey into a cup, but sometimes to give bitter medicine," Mr Putin said.

"But this should always be done openly and honestly, and then the overwhelming majority of people will understand their government."

Mr Medvedev has spearheaded a drive to modernise Russia during his term in office.

Some economists say the return of the more conservative Mr Putin could counter this. Others say the two men vary in their styles but differ little on policy.

Mr Medvedev took over in 2008 after Mr Putin had served two terms as president

Under recent constitutional amendments, the new president will have a six-year mandate rather than four years as before. He or she will be able to serve no more than two consecutive terms, meaning Mr Putin could be in office until 2024.

"We're in for a giant corruption component in politics, which will be incomparable with the current one," he told Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy.

News of the candidacy generated a wave of Russian-language traffic on Twitter, much of it enthusiastic, such as a tweet by @xurinlev which read "The man who pulled Russia out of the crash is coming back!"

One of the country's most popular micro-bloggers, @navalny, quipped "Android replacing iPod", in apparent reference to Mr Putin's strongman image and Mr Medvedev's well-known enthusiasm for social media.

The Russian president, who on Wednesday had tweeted "Half a million - that's cool. Thanks!", in apparent reference to the number of followers of his @MedvedevRussia account, was not tweeting as of early Saturday evening.

A country that has popular politicians that the people of the country support... yeah, I can see why so many want to make fun of that.

I watched the BBC coverage and they interviewed a reporter from the Guardian newspaper that had had his visa to visit Russia refused earlier this year. He quoted wikileaks and talked about corruption and how Putin was worth 40 billion US dollars blah blah blah.None of it substantiated of course.

The Saudi's technically owned the US with their hundreds of Billions invested in America....they were going to get screwed out of their investments ....so the Twin Towers were hit by Saudi (they financed the hit). They booted the US Military out. Said they weren't going to accept US dollars for oil anymore.

Plan A: was to destroy Saudi Arabia and take their oil.

Well the world didn't want to see a nuclear War so the world put ole muslim Kenyan boy Obama in power to appease the Sauds.

Hence why he got a big Peace PRize. And a big gold medal from the Sauds.

Then he went on to gut the US military so that there's nothing left.

The Kenyan fulfilled his purpose. End an Empire. Europe may even strip America of its Pacific Territories....England told the US they can keep it for now...(Britains don't want to die on those polluted hell holes everyone and their uncle is beaming energy weapons at...playing Weather Warfare as well....plus the Fukushima fallout).

So the US gets to keep the impression of an Empire due to pollution....just sends souls there to die. Nobody else would take it.

GarryB wrote:A country that has popular politicians that the people of the country support... yeah, I can see why so many want to make fun of that.

I watched the BBC coverage and they interviewed a reporter from the Guardian newspaper that had had his visa to visit Russia refused earlier this year. He quoted wikileaks and talked about corruption and how Putin was worth 40 billion US dollars blah blah blah.None of it substantiated of course.

No wonder the British have such a perverted view of Russia.

Britain has to rank as one of the most endemically corrupt countries in the World, imo. Not your typical corruption.But one of feudalism ( "Royalty"), and a form of apartheid based on family background ( "social class") rather than skin colour. I dread to think how far Britain would have fallen if it hadn't been the fact its native tongue is the World's most widely spoken language.

The British media Establishment has a huge simmering resentment towards Russia. I think part is that they expect Russia to roll over and sell everything to an Anglo-American corporate monster. But I also think that there is a hate of Russia's recently Socialist history. America, like Britain, has an Establishment of families controlling most things, generation after generation, Russia does not. Maybe thats the real source of the bitterness.

GarryB wrote:So an organisation that has countries within it with unelected governments in control of them has the right to claim Putins outright popularity made the Russian elections unfair and undemocratic???

Where am I saying that?!? Stop engines and reverse course, dude. I'm not claiming that the elections are fraudulent. All I did was compare the Duma results to the Presidential results to show that the OCSE is full of it, that yes, you probably could have predicted the outcome.

Putin is not rubbish and I would certainly vote for him.

Frankly, so would I, were I Russian. I never claimed he was rubbish.

Seriously, I don't see what the argument is here. We both know that the OCSE is full of crap.

Regarding elections, come on, everyone who isn't a Nashist knows there was large scale fraud, both blatant (recorded on film), and more discrete (employers/universities influencing/forcing votes one way). Without it would Putin lose? Probably not.

Crappy that there is no alternative to vote for than that Yeltsin leftover.